15 Reasons Vaccinations are Important for Children

The debate and controversy surrounding childhood vaccinations seems to be never-ending. However, the fact remains that no matter how you slice it, not utilizing these important vaccinations puts your children at risk. It puts more than just your children at risk; it puts my children at risk. While I will personally never understand the reasoning behind choosing not to utilize childhood vaccinations despite the fact that I’ve researched the topic thoroughly, the expert medical advice available speaks for itself. Read on to find out 15 reasons vaccinations are necessary for children.

Disease Eradication

In only six decades, childhood vaccinations have managed to completely eradicate smallpox, a deadly disease. Additionally, Polio is almost completely eradicated.

Disease Will Come Back

Many of the parents who do not believe in vaccinations for their children often spout the very ignorant phrase, “I don’t need to vaccinate my kid. When was the last time you saw a case of smallpox?” That’s right – you haven’t seen smallpox recently because of vaccinations. Many diseases that are nearly eradicated have made a big comeback because the sheer number of people who choose not to vaccinate their kids.

You Put My Kids at Risk

The rest of the world doesn’t care how you raise your child, but when it affects our children; we care. Rest assured that if your child contracts pertussis, a very deadly disease for children, and passes it along to a child who cannot have vaccinations due to something like, oh, say, Cancer, that child is at risk. You just put someone else’s child at risk for a disease that could kill them. That’s when it becomes a concern for the rest of the world.

Vaccinations Eliminate Fatalities

According to DoSomething.org, more than four million children’s lives will be saved by utilizing underutilized and new vaccines between today and 2015.

Herd Immunity

Herd immunity is what makes vaccinations work. When the majority of any given community is vaccinated against disease, everyone is far safer. However, when more people stop immunizing their kids, herd immunity disappears and disease returns.

Vaccine Side Effects are Far Less Dangerous than the Side Effects of Not Vaccinating

One of the biggest reasons to vaccinate your kids is the fact that the side effects of vaccinations are FAR less significant than the side effects of contracting a disease that is easily preventable. For example, only one in a million children who receive the pertussis vaccine experience serious side effects. However, one of every 100 children without the pertussis vaccine will die from contracting the disease. One in every 4 children with pertussis will develop pneumonia, two of every 100 will experience violent convulsions, two thirds will stop breathing and one in every 300 will contract encephalopathy, a disease in the brain.

 

Not all Vaccines are Shots

Many vaccines, such as rotovirus and polio are taken orally. Since so many anti-vaccination parents seem to believe that it’s inhumane to give kids so many shots at once, this is useful information.

Number of Lives Saved

Childhood vaccinations are to thank for saving the lives of nearly 2 and a half million children – every single year.

Just Because You Don’t Travel Internationally Doesn’t Protect Your Child

You might think that not vaccinating your child is okay because you don’t travel overseas. Guess what? You are wrong. The lady sitting next to you in church might do a lot of international travel, and if she brings back a disease, your kid is now at risk.

Your Child Could Suffer in School

Most schools require that children receive their vaccinations prior to entering school. Children who do not receive vaccinations can still enter school so long as they have a note signed by a medical professional stating that he or she is not vaccinated for medical reasons. Some schools allow religious reasons as valid if you have a note from your religious organization. However, if an outbreak were to occur in your child’s school and your child is not immune, he or she will not be allowed to attend school for several weeks. This has a major impact on his or her school performance.

Medical Emergencies

According to the New York Department of Health, if you choose to skip vaccinating your children, you put them at risk for more disease. For example, children who are not vaccinated often require different treatment in emergency situations. Because most children are vaccinated, many doctors and medical professionals are unfamiliar with the treatments required for children without vaccinations, which could cause a delay in treating your child – delays can cause further damage, or even death.

Your Daughter Might Have Pregnancy Problems

When your daughter grows up and becomes pregnant, her lack of immunizations from childhood could put her baby at risk for irreversible birth defects or even death.

Vaccinations Do Not Cause Autism

The misconception that certain vaccinations cause Autism in children is just that; a misconception. The medical doctor, Dr. Wakefield, who started this rumor was disproved and lost his medical license for several reasons, including falsifying information in his study on this subject. The common misconception stems mostly from the fact that Autism symptoms present around the same time certain vaccinations are given; however, it’s all timing. Medical professionals have proven time and time again that Autism and vaccinations are not at all related. In fact, as the number of children who do not receive vaccinations rises so does the number of cases of Autism. How does that work?

Check Your Sources

When researching the risks of vaccinations, many parents forget to check for factual information. Anyone can put anything on the internet. When you google vaccination risks, it’s mommy blogs and personal opinions that tell you why vaccinating your kids is horrible and wrong and makes you a bad parent. It’s major medical organizations and scientific resources that tell you to vaccinate your kids.

It’s a Public Health Risk

Not vaccinating your children is a personal decision, but it’s one medical professionals, scientists and those who choose to immunize their children believe is a highly selfish decision. Imagine how upset you would be if your child contracted one of these easily preventable diseases and is ostracized in the community, failing school due to not being able to attend and potentially facing death or serious health complications; do you still feel the same?